Automatic time switch



Patented Jan. 2, 1923.

l UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

LESLIE S. U?HOFF, 0F SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 NEWTON D. BAKER,SECRETARY OF WAR, TRUSTEE.

AUTOMATIC TIME SWITCH.

Application led December 1, 1919.

Serial No. 341,839.

(FILED UNDER THE ACT 0F MARCH 3, 1883, 22 STAT. L., 625.)

To all whom, 'it may concern.:

Be it known that I, LEsLn-z S. UrHorF, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York,have invented ran Improvement in Automatic Time Switches,

of which the following is a specification.

The vinvention described herein may be used by the Government, or any ofits officers or employees in prosecution of work forthe Goverment, or bany other person in the United States, without payment to me of anyroyalty thereon.

This invention relates to time switches and has for its object toprovide novel automatic means for closing an electric circuit forapredetermined period,

A further object vis to provide a mechanism capable of adjustmentwhereby the period. of time the circuit is closed may be greatly varied,thereby adapting the device to a variety of uses.

A further object is to provide a slmple, durable and inexpensiveconstruction having simple adjustment means and positively operatingparts.

The drawing shows an elevation of the improved time switch.

Referring to thel drawing by numerals, 1 indicates an electric motorhaving a shaft 2 provided with worm 3 adapted to opera-te the worm wheel4 rigidly mounted on shaft 5.

A rotatable body, in this instance a drum 6, is rigidly mounted on shaft5 and is rotated thereby at predetermined speeds controlled through themotor.

An arm 7 is mounted to oscillate on shaft 5, and has independentmovement thereon.

Th 7 extends beyond the periphery of drum 6 and has mounted for oscilation in its outer end a shaft 8.51m which is rigidly secured arm 9carryingfa shoe 10, in line with the face of drum 6,

An armature 11 is rigidl mounted on shaft 8 and is normally heldvcontact with stop 12 by spring 13, thus maintaining the shoe 10 out ofengagement with the drum.

A magnet or solenoid 14 is mounted on arm 7 beneath the armature 11,which magnet, when energized, operates the armature lto bring the shoe10 into contact with the face of the drum, thereby causing arm 7 toswing on shaft 5., with the drum, which rotates in the direction of thearrow.

Stops 15 and 16 are provided to limit the movement ot' the arm 7, andlocated near stop 16 is a contact member 17. member 18 is mountedonspring arm 19 secured. on terminal block 20.

The spring arm 19 is adapted to be sprung outwardly byethe end of arm 7to break contact of mem rs 17 and 18, thereby releasing shoe l() fromdrum 6 as will appear later. Y'

In order to provide for the closing of the circuit for fractional partsof the time that would be consumed in the operation of the arm from stop15 to stop 16 the distance therebetween is divided into such fractionalparts as may be desired, said points of division being indicated at 21and numbered from 1 to 10, constituting a scale, thus providing for anyfraction of the time ordinarily consumed in the full swing ofthe arm; Bysetting the arm' at the desired distance from stop 16, the armvwill berequired to travel only a portion' of its entire swing in reaching stop16. For the purpose of setting the arm, the stop 15 may be adjustablydisposed, so that it may be positioned beneath any one of the points ofdivision of said scale.

Relay 22 is in the circuit controlled by means of the time switch andits coil is connected in series with magnet 14 and button A contactv 23through conductors 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28. l

The motor 1 is connected through line wires 29 and 30 to a suitablesource of electrical energy, its voltage being indicated by volt meter31.

The field windings of the motor are connected through conductors 32 and33 with rheostat 34 and a second rheostat 35 the former being graduatedin seconds, the latter in volts.

Rheostat 34 is adapted to vary the speed of the motor and therefore thespeed of the drum 6 and arm 7 when connected therewith. When arm 7 bymeans of the frictional contact between shoe-10 and drum 6, is caused tooperate, the time required for the arm to travel from stop 15 or one ofthe divisional points indicated at 21,'.to stop 16, will be determinedby the speed of the drum. Rhoostat 34 is therefore graduated in suitableunits of time such as seconds which indicate the time required for thearm 7 to travel from stop 15 to stop 16.

In order to compensate for line voltage variation, the adjustingrheostat 35 is pro- .i vided. Said rheostat is so graduated that thespeed of motor 1 will be constant within practical limits When rheostat34 is set at ay desired speed and rheostat 35 is set according to theindication of volt meter 31.

The operation is as t'ollows: Suppose it is desired to close the circuitrunning to the load for a period of three seconds. The rheostat 34 isset at a point marked 3 seconds. and rheostat 35 is set at the voltage.indicated by volt meter 31. Button 23 is then depressed thus closing thecircuit through the coil to the relay 22, magnet 14 draws the armature11 into contact therewith, and the shoe l() into frictional contact withdrum Drum 6. revolving at a speed determined by the setting of rheostats34 and 35, carries with it arm 7 l/Vhen arm 7 reaches stop 16," its treeend engages spring arm 19, which separates contact members 17 and 18 andbreaks the circuit which holds shoe 1() in contact with the drum throughmagnet 14. The breaking of the circuit through magnet 14 also causes therelay 22 to break the circuit running to the load, and the particularobject in view in closing the circuit running to the load for a givenlength of time has been accomplished.

Then yit is desired to close the circuit running to the load for afractional part ot a second. the rheostat 34 is set at one second andarm 7 is set with its pointer 3G at the fractional part ot a seconddesired, indicated at 21. therefore when the arm 7 takes up the movementof the drum it only moves from its set position to stop 1G when thecircuit will be broken.

Having described my invention. what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent. is

1. The combination with a working circuit, ot' mechanism tor governinthe closing of the same for a predetermined period. comprising arotatable body, a circuit breaking member oscillatory on the axis ot'rotation ot said body. a magnet carried by said member. means actuatedby the. energizing of said magnet tor coupling said member to said bodyso as to move therewith. andnormally closed contacts in the path otlmovement ot said member to be opened thereby.

:2. The combination with a working circuit. of mechanism for governingthe closing o t' the same for a predetermined period, comprising arotatable body. a circuit breaking member oscillatory on the axis otrotation ot' said body. a magnet carried by said member. means actuatedby the energizing of said magnet tor coupling said member t0 said bodyso as to move therewith, and means controlled by the movement ot' saidmember for breaking said circuit.

The combination with a working circuit. of mechanism tor governing theclosing of the same for a predetermined period, comprising a rotatablebod a circuit breaking member oscillatory on the axis of rotation ofsaid body, a magnet carried by said member. means actuated by theenergizing ot' said magnet for coupling said member to said body so asto move therewith. and means in the path ot' movement of said member andengageable thereby t'or breaking said circuit.

4. The combination with a working circuit ot' mechanism tor governingthe closing ot the. same tor a prcdetermined period. comprising anelectric motor driven rotatable body. a circuit breaking memberoscillatorv on the axis ot rotation of said body. a magnet carried bysaid member. means actuated by the energizing of saidcmagnet 'forcoupling said member to said body so as to revolve therewith. means inthe path of movement of said member and engageable thereby to break thecircuit. and means for varyin the speed of the motor.

T ie combination with a working circuit. ot mechanism for governing theclosing o'f the same tor a predetermined period. comprising a rotatablebody. a circuit breaking member oscillatory on the axis of rotation otlsaid body. a magnet carried by said member. means actuated bytheenergizing ot said magnet for coupling lsaid member to said body so asto move therewith. means in the path of movement ot said memberengageable thereby to break said circuit. and means tor varying thedegree of oscillation ot said member. v

6. The combination with a working circuit. ot mechanism for governingthe closing ot' the same tor a predetermined period. comprising arotatable body. a circuit breaking member oscillatory on the axis otrotation of said body. a. magnet carried bv said member, meansl actuatedby the energizing of said magnet for coupling said member to said bodyso to move therewith. means in the path ot movement ot said memberengageable thereby to break the circuit. and stops in the path otmovement ot said member for determining the degree ot oscillationthereof.

7. The combination with a working circuit. ot mechanism for governingthe closing ot' the same tor a predetermined period, comprising arotatable body. a circuit breaking member oscillatory on theI axis ofrotation of said body. a magnet carried by said member. means actuatedby the energizing ot said magnet tor coupling said member to said bodyso as to move therewith..means in the path ot' movement ot' said memberengageable thereby to break the circuit. and stops in the path ofmovement of said member tor determining the degree of oscillationthereof, one of said stops being adjustably positioned to vary thedegree of oscillation of said member.

8. The combination with a working cirllO cuit, of mechanism forgoverning the closing of the same for a predetermined period comprisinga rotatable body, lan elecftrid motor with its shaft, co-acting meanscarried by the motor shaft and said body for rotating the latter, acircuit breaking member oscillatory on the axis of rotation of saidbody, a magnet carried by said member, means actuated by the-energizingof said magnet for coupling said member to said body so as to revolvetherewith, and means in the path of movement of said member to becontacted thereby to open the circuit.

9. The combination with a working circuit, of mechanism for governingthe closing of the same for a predetermined period, comprisin arotatable body, an electric motor wit its motor shaft, a worm carried bysaid shaft, a worm wheel carried by' said body and meshing with saidWorm, a circuit breaking member oscillatory on theaxis of rotation ofsaid body, a magnet carried by said member, means actuated by theenergizing of said magnet for coupling said member to said body so as tomove therewith, and means in the path of movement of said member to becontacted thereby to open the circuit.

10. The combination with a working circuit, of mechanism for govern-ingthe closing of the same for a predetermined period, comprising arotatable body, a circuit breaking member oscillatory on the axis ofrotation of said body, a magnet carried by said member, a frictionalclutch normally out of contact with said body for coupling said memberto said body so as to move therewith, means actuated by the energizingof sald magnet for throwing said clutch into contact with said body, andmeans in the path of movement of said member to be contacted thereby toopen the circuit.

11. The combination with a working circuit, of mechanism for governingthe closing of the same for a predetermined period, comprising arotatable body, a circuit breaking member oscillatory on the axis ofrotation of said body, a magnet carried by said member, means actuatedby the energizing of said magnet for coupling said mem er to said bodyso as to move therewith, stops in the path of movement of said memberfor determining the degree of oscillation thereof, one of said stopsbeing adjustably positioned to vary the degree of oscillation of saidmember, a scale arranged along the path of travel of said member, apointer carried by said member and co-operating with said scale andmeans in the path of move-ment of said member to be contacted thereby toopen the circuit.

12. An automatic time switch including a rotatable body, a circuitbreaking arm, oscillatory on the axis of rotation of said bodyl, meanscarried by the arm for coupling the arm to the body to movel therewithand means for actuating said coupling means.

13. An automatic time switch including a rotatable body, a circuitbreaking arm, oscillatory with said body, means carried by the arm forcoupling the arm to the body to move therewith, and electromagneticmeans for actuating said cou lirlig means.

LES I S. UPHOFF.y

